Little Sparrow
by RMBlythe
Summary: One-shot. Captain Jack Sparrow is becoming a grandpa! But when an old friend shows up unexpectedly, Jack worries he might lose his little sparrow. A mother's love knows no bounds. (T because it's better to be safe than sorry)


_**School's out for summer! Yeah! I have time to write and update again! I promise I will get back to "What Do You See?" and "Child of the Moon, Child of the Night" soon, but maybe this will help tide you over. My first POTC story! Don't own, obviously. But a girl can dream ;)**_

Little Sparrow

Screaming. So much bloody screaming! His daughter had been laboring to bring forth her second child since sunrise, and now the sun was dangerously close to setting. Jack Sparrow paced before the closed bedroom door, clutching his dagger in his hand. As if that would help. This time, there was no monster, no navy man, no mutinous crew, or sadistic pirate captain causing his baby girl pain. He could do nothing to save her, and that was slowly driving him mad. With a frustrated groan, he spun on his heel and drove the knife straight into the wall, splintering and cracking the wood.

"Grandpapa?" a small voice called from the entrance of the captain's quarters aboard the Belladonna.

Forcing a smile to his lips, Jack turned to see his grandson Chrispen standing before him. "Aye lad?"

"Where's Mama?" he asked as Jack yanked his dagger from the wall with a bit of difficulty and sheathed it again.

"Mama's havin' yer little brother or sis, remember we told ya this mornin?" Jack said, kneeling before the boy. Just then, another one of Pearl's heart wrenching cries echoed throughout the ship. A few tears slipped down Chrispen's cheeks as his bottom lip began to quiver. But he mustn't cry. Not in front of Grandpapa. He had to be strong. He was a pirate after all. He was the grandson of Captain Jack Sparrow. He had to be brave. That's what he was told anyway. Which is why he was pleasantly surprised when Jack reached out and snatched him up in a hug, holding him tight to his chest. His grandfather's unique smell of smoke, spices, rum, and the sea filled Chrispen's senses as he buried his head in the great pirate captain's dreadlocks. "Hush lad," Jack soothed, feeling the boy's hot tears soak into his shirt. Jack blinked hard against his own. "It'll be alright."

Jack carried Chrispen to Cyrus Andrews' cabin. As the first mate of the Belladonna was currently topside keeping things in order while Rafael stayed with his wife, the room was empty save for the young lad who sat upon the bed. "Cap'n Sparrow," the boy cried, sitting up a bit straighter as the man he so greatly admired entered the room. Then, he saw his friend. "What's wrong wit' him?"

"Bit upset 'bout his mum is all, Drake. Thought maybe you could cheer him up a bit, savvy?" Jack said as he sat Chrispen down on the bed beside Drake.

"Savvy," Drake nodded.

"I'll leave you to it then, shall I?" Jack smirked. Drake nodded. Before he left the two alone though, the pirate captain knelt onto the floor so he could look his grandson in the eye. "You be brave for yer mum son, hear?"

Chrispen sniffed and nodded. Jack wrapped both boys in a hug, trying to calm his own nerves as well as theirs. He broke away from their embrace and straightened. "Right then," he said, brushing off his trousers and leaving the first mate's cabin. No sooner had he closed the door behind him, then he heard booted feet slowly descending into the belly of the ship. Curious, Jack made his way to the stairs that led up to the top deck and came face to face with none other than William Turner.

"Hello Jack," Will said, a small smile for his old friend.

Taking in Will's somber expression, Jack's tan skin went pale as a ghost. "Something tells me this ain't a social call," he managed to whisper.

Will shook his head slowly. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

Swallowing thickly, Jack shut his eyes and shook his head, trying to regain some semblance of control over his trembling body. "W-who? Is it..."

"No, it's not Pearl I've come for," Will said, hating having to watch his friend go through this. It was rare for Jack Sparrow, perhaps the most feared pirate in all the Caribbean, to show how he was truly feeling. And here Jack was, bearing his soul, more scared than he'd ever been in all is life.

While this news was welcome, that could only mean one thing. "The babe then?" Jack sighed.

Will nodded. "I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry Jack," he said again, unsure of what else he could possibly say at a time like this. No matter how many years he'd spent as captain of the Flying Dutchman, it never got any easier.

Jack nodded. "Let me go with you," Jack demanded, becoming a captain once again, ignoring the fact that Will now shared the rank. "I want to be there when you tell her."

Will agreed and the two set off towards the captain's quarters. Knocking briefly, they were granted permission to enter and Jack stepped inside first. "Papi," Pearl smiled upon seeing him.

"Hello love," Jack smiled at his daughter, though he was concerned by how pale and exhausted she looked. She seemed so small, so fragile. He kissed her head, and took her hand. "There's someone here to see you."

Pearl looked over his shoulder and her eyes lit up. "Uncle Will," she sighed happily.

"Hello Pearl," Will smiled kindly. Angelica gasped when she saw the captain of the Flying Dutchman standing at her daughter's door. She had been afraid of this. Much as she loved William Turner, he made her a bit nervous, and Will didn't blame her. Occupational hazard he'd grown accustomed to. Rafael was concerned too, his striking features set in a deep frown. Jack clutched his daughter's hand tighter and motioned for Will to tell them the sad news. "Pearl, Rafael, I..."

"You don't have to say it, Uncle Will," Pearl whispered, "I already know. I knew as soon as I saw her. She's so small." She looked up at Rafael who held his new daughter protectively in his arms. Pearl smiled. "My little Sophia."

Will hung his head. Everyone had said that after a few years without a heart, he would stop feeling any emotion. Or at the very least, their intensities would lessen. But nothing could have been farther from the truth. His love for Elizabeth and their son, Will, was just as strong as it ever was. His loyalty to Jack was as unwavering as it had been since the day he saved his life, in a manner of speaking. And the grief and the guilt he felt at this moment was overwhelming, threatening to bring him to his knees.

"Can I?" Pearl asked her husband, reaching for the baby. He nodded and handed her to Pearl. "Hello mi ángel," she cooed to the sleeping baby. Then she looked to the rest of the people in the room. "May I please speak with Uncle Will alone?"

"Pearl," Rafael began to protest, clearly worried about his wife.

"Please," she whispered, looking up at him imploringly. Rafael, not wanting to argue, simply nodded and made his way out of the room.

Jack looked at his daughter with a certain gleam in his eyes. It was a look Pearl had only seen once when she had been kidnapped by the East India Trading Company as a child. The day she was finally returned to her parents, Jack had the same expression as he did now. It was one of all consuming love that Pearl finally understood now that she had children of her own. Kissing her head, Jack rose to leave with Angelica.

Suddenly Will and Pearl were alone. With an incredibly tender look in his eyes, Will sat down on the bed beside his niece. He loved Pearl as one of his own children. He'd watched her grow up. He'd taught her how to sword fight. And now... now he had to take her daughter from her. The legendary Davy Jones was having a difficult time holding back his tears. "Pearl, you must know how hard this is for me," he said softly, gently stroking baby Sophia's dark hair. "If there was anything I could do to save her..."

"But there is," Pearl said softly. Will looked confused. "I want to make a deal with you, Uncle Will."

The captain's handsome brow furrowed in confusion. "A deal?"

"I know Papi made a deal with the last Davy Jones to resurrect the Black Pearl."

"And that did not end well for him," Will reminded her, "or me."

"I want to trade my life for hers," Pearl said, getting straight to the point. There was no time to waste.

"What?" Will asked, not sure he had heard her right. He couldn't possibly have.

"I'm not well, Uncle Will, I haven't been for some time," she admitted. "Everything hurts and I'm so tired..."

"I've been told that's to be expected," Will tried to explain, reaching out to stroke her pale cheek and brush a few sweaty strands of hair back away from her face. She took his hand in hers and held it, giving him her sweetest smile. Will almost laughed. Pearl was literally giving up her life for her child, and yet she was still the one doing the comforting.

"One of us must go with you and I want it to be me," she said determinedly. She had made up her mind and there was no going back. "She needs to have a chance at life. I want her to live, to fall in love, and to have children, and adventures, like I have done."

Blinking back tears, Will looked down at his hand in hers. How could he do what she was asking?

"Please."

But how could he not?

"You're sure about this?" he asked, his voice rough with buried emotion.

"Yes. I am," she said, no fear in her dark eyes.

"Alright," he nodded, forcing a smile to his lips. "Would you like me to bring your family back in so you can say goodbye?"

Pearl nodded. "Just Rafael first though, please."

Will waited outside, giving the couple their privacy. "Pearl," Rafael said as the door closed behind him. "What's happening? Is Sophia..."

Pearl shook her head. "She's fine, I promise. Come sit down," she said, patting the empty space on the bed beside her.

Rafael moved to do just that, wrapping an arm around his wife and letting her lay back against his broad chest. He kissed her head. "Somethin's on yer mind. What's wrong, love?" he asked.

A smile pulled at Pearl's red lips. He knew her so well. Oh how she'd miss him! "Sophia's not going with Uncle Will," she whispered, running a finger along the sleeping baby's cheek. "I am."

The captain of the Belladonna became unnaturally still. His body went rigid, but his heart beat wildly in his chest.

Turning her head to look up at him, she saw his emerald eyes had grown a shade darker. His jaw was set firm, as he stared at the door. It was as if he was contemplating killing William Turner. And if the man wasn't already dead, he very well might have. Only the slender hand of his true love drove away such murderous thoughts and pulled him back to the grim reality they faced. "It's going to be alright," she promised him, but he didn't believe her.

"How? How is this gonna be alright?" he said, his voice a choked whisper. He dropped his head to rest on top of hers, tears sliding down his cheeks. It broke Pearl's heart. She'd never seen her husband cry before.

"We'll see each other again. I'll sail with Uncle Will, and someday, so will you. And we'll sail the seas together forever."

"Such a long time to separated from ye though," he said, drawing a shaky breath. "What'll I do without ye? I'll go mad with the waitin."

"You won't," Pearl smiled. "Chrispen and Sophia will keep you plenty busy."

He lifted his head slightly to look down at his new daughter, cupping her small head in one hand. "Aye," he sighed, "that they will. They've got their mother's spirit. Especially this one. As untamable as the sea, ye can tell already."

Pearl laughed. Rafael swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll miss that sound."

She kissed his cheek. "You'll hear it again someday." Rafael brought his lips down on hers, kissing her with all the love he had in his black pirate heart. "I love you," she sighed, teary eyed herself when they pulled apart.

"My beautiful Pearl," he smiled sadly, "I love you too."

"Go and get Chrispen? I want to say goodbye."

Rafael nodded and went to fetch their son. When he came back, Chrispen raced over to his mother's bedside. He looked upon the new addition to his family in awe. "Is that her?" he asked.

Pearl nodded as he climbed up on the bed to get a better look. "This is your sister, Sophia."

"Sophia," he breathed, watching as the baby squirmed a bit in her sleep. "She's awful little."

Rafael and Pearl chuckled. "Yes she is," his mother agreed. "She'll need her big brother to look after her. Can you do that for me?"

Chrispen nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Mama. I'll keep 'er safe."

Pearl kissed his head. "I know you will." Then, Rafael moved to take his daughter so Chrispen could sit in his mother's lap. Pearl held her son close. "Did you see Uncle Will outside?"

Chrispen nodded as he snuggled into his mother's chest.

"Well, I'm going to go with him. I'm going to live on his ship now."

"Why?" Chrispen asked in confusion.

"Because it's my time," Pearl tried to explain. "Someday Papa will come to live on the Flying Dutchman with me, and after many many years have past, and you are older than Grandpapa, you'll come to live with us too."

"So I'll see you again?"

Pearl kissed his cheek and held him tight. "Yes, maybe not for a long time, but I promise we will see each other again someday." Chrispen nodded, accepting this fairly easily. He didn't want his mother to leave, but he trusted her that they would see each other again. "Now you go play with Drake, alright? And tell Grandmama and Grandpapa to come in."

Chrispen nodded, kissing his mother's cheek too. "I love you Mama."

"I love you too," Pearl smiled. "Always remember that."

After saying goodbye to her parents, Pearl held her daughter and looked down at her adoringly. "I love you, Sophia," Pearl told her daughter. "Be strong. Be brave. Love and be loved. Have adventures. Live, my little sparrow, my sweet angel. I love you." She kissed the baby's head and lay her down in a basinet near the bed. Before she could even call for her uncle, he was there. "I'm ready," she smiled bravely.

Will simply nodded and approached the bed, gently gathering her small frame into his arms. He placed a kiss to her temple. "It'll be alright," he tried to reassure her.

Pearl just smiled and lay her head on his shoulder, gazing down at her daughter. "I know.


End file.
